Articles

Below are articles on development happenings, issues, etc. If you have comments on them, please share them with us in the Forum. If you have articles that you believe would be of general interest to the UAA membership, please submit them here.

New!USAID Mulls Proposal to Train Aid Workers As Special Forces (DevEx) – Under an idea being considered, RED Team members would be specifically recruited and trained to deliver novel techniques, practices, and tools optimized to secure communities vulnerable to violent extremist radicalization and exploitation.

New!What is Effective U.S. Foreign Assistance?(MFAN) – MFAN has released a one-pager pointing out fundamental principles of aid, demonstrating modern assistance, and highlighting opportunities for reform this year.

New!The World Bank Presidential Race Heats Up(DevEx) – Kim’s surprise resignation has ignited a frenzied race to replace him. Names and scenarios, including one that could transform the campaign, are beginning to emerge.

New!Foreign Aid Under President Trump(How Much) – This visualization lays out a snapshot that reveals the handful of countries with most at stake in Trump’s threats to overseas aid.

New!Will Trump Go After Foreign Aid to Pay for His Border Wall?(Washington Post) – President Trump and other top officials are singling out foreign aid funding and arguing that money would be better spent on the southern border. If he does this, he would be undermining security both at home and abroad.

New!World Bank President Resigns to Join Investment Firm(Wall St. Journal) – With 3 years remaining in his term, Kim plans to resign effective Feb. 1 to join a firm focused on infrastructure investments. Kim’s unexpected resignation will potentially set off a fight between the Trump administration and critics of U.S. control at the World Bank.

The Global Food Problem Isn’t What You Think(Washington Post) – While a large part of the agricultural research establishment is focused on one aspect of the challenge — calories — another part of the scientific community is focused on a one: adequate nutrient consumption.*

World Bank Year in Review: 2018 in 14 Charts(World Bank) – Extreme poverty is at the lowest level in recorded history but is expected to become increasingly concentrated in one region. A record number of people have been forcibly displaced from their homes.

Development Agencies: Fit for the Future?(CGD) – Development agencies today are facing complex, unprecedented challenges—rising nationalism, declining multilateralism, and increased risks. How should they proceed?

In a Twist, Trump Fights to Keep Some Palestinian Aid Alive(Associated Press) – Amid signs it may finally roll out its long-awaited Middle East peace plan, the administration is scrambling to save what little remaining Palestinian assistance it provides. Without action, all aid to the region could end in January.

Launch of the Humanitarian Assistance Steering Council (State Dept) – The purpose of the Council is to coordinate U.S. government efforts in order to achieve seamless, efficient, and effective delivery of humanitarian assistance overseas in support of U.S. foreign policy objectives, including promoting burden-sharing and UN humanitarian reform.

The Next Battle for US Aid is About to Begin(Devex) – Shortly, Trump administration will release a foreign assistance review that is expected to set the tone for another round of harsh White House budget proposals in the coming months.

A New US Development Finance Agency Takes Flight(Devex) – The. Senate passed the Better Utilization of Investment Leading to Development, or BUILD Act, which will create a new U.S. government agency — the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation. Development. The DFC will combine OPIC and USAID’s Development Credit Authority.

America’s Foreign-Aid Budget Has Proved Surprisingly Resilient(The Economist) – The foreign-aid budget for 2018 looked very different from the one the White House asked for. The President proposed a one-third cut. Instead, Congress maintained aid at $35bn, as in 2017, with funding for health and food largely unchanged.

Destabilizing Rescissions to Foreign Aid Funds Reportedly Halted(MFAN) – MFAN support of efforts of Congress to safeguard predictability for U.S. assistance programs by helping to prevent what would have been an unprecedented, unilateral move by the Trump administration to cancel already appropriated funds without Congressional review.

Help Is On the Way for Christian Iraquis (Washington Post) – USAID is finalizing plans for 10 modest reconstruction projects for Christian communities in the Nineveh Plains and for Yazidi villages around Sinjar in northern Iraq.

US Aid to Fragile States: Where Does the Money Go?(CGD) – This article takes stock of the current landscape of US foreign aid to fragile states and gives an overview of where the money is going, what agencies are involved, and for what purpose(s) the money is given.

The Future is African — and the United States Is Not Prepared(Washington Post) – Instead of preparing to build a relationship that can grow with the continent, based upon diplomatic cooperation, the United States is doubling down on more than a decade of reliance on its military as the primary vehicle of engaging with Africa.

The Grand Bargain: Development Aid in an “Age of Choice”(Borgen) – An important aspect in making sure that development aid is truly improving conditions in recipient countries is tying its distribution to certain political conditions, such as the recipient country adhering to human rights norms and democratic governance.

5 Takeaways From the USAID Supply Chain Hearings(Devex) – Following the issuance of the largest USAID contract ever, Lawmakers asked the Agency to provide more information about the contracting process, the consequences of delayed delivery, and to clarify what options are available to hold the implementer accountable.

CRS Report on US Foreign Aid(Congressional Research Service) – This report provides an overview of the U.S. foreign assistance program by answering frequently asked questions. It is intended to provide a broad view of foreign assistance over time.

Worrisome Trends for Democracy in Latin America(Foreign Service Journal) – Widespread corruption, crime and a lack of security, education, employment and basic services are driving a loss of faith in democracy throughout the continent. A thoughtful piece from USAID alum Alexi Panehal.

A First Look at USAID’s Redesign Plan(Brookings) – George Ingram’s take on USAID’s realigned structure. His bottom line: Administrator . Green and his USAID colleagues should be commended for producing a restructuring plan that is rational and innovative, and for making it public before it is finalized.*

USAID to Unveil New Organizational Chart (Devex) – The restructuring will aim to strengthen and elevate humanitarian assistance, consolidate and elevate resilience, connect budget and strategy, and have a more field-focused presence.

What a New US Development Finance Institution Needs to Succeed(Devex) – A bipartisan group of senators and representatives introduced the Better Utilization of Investment Leading to Development (BUILD) Act, which, if enacted, would create a new agency called the United States International Development Finance Corporation. The IDFC would absorb OPIC and several functions performed by USAID.

Lucky That Time: Escapes from Animals(Foreign Service Journal) – Over the course of a Foreign Service lifetime, alum John Pielemeier has had dangerous encounters with at least seven different species of animal—and survived them all. This entertaining article describes a few of those.

Tillerson Scales Back State Department Restructuring Plan(Politico) – After resistance from diplomats and lawmakers, the Secretary of State is lowering expectations for his new “Impact Initiative.” Far from swinging a wrecking ball, Tillerson looks ready to tap with a hammer and chisel.

Curing USAID(The American Interest) – Alum Jeffrey Cochrane tells us that USAID needs to reclaim its original mission and stop trying to do everything at once. This would be better for the bureaucracy and better for those it’s trying to help.

When Criticism Falls on Deaf Ears: The Case of U.S. Foreign Aid(Foreign Service Journal) – Alum Thomas Dichter explains that, although economists and practitioners have questioned the theory behind foreign assistance to underdeveloped countries for more than four decades, the aid industry is bigger and stronger than ever today.

White House Taps Pence Associate to Run Foreign Service (Foreign Policy) –The Administration has nominated an associate of VP Mike Pence to be Director General of the Foreign Service, a position normally reserved for senior career diplomats, prompting fears that this will further politicize American diplomacy.

Career Diplomacy: Life and Work in the US Foreign Service(Diplopundit) – This book, now in its third edition, offers an insider’s guide to the Foreign Service as an institution, a profession, and a career. It provides an up-to-date, authoritative, and candid account of the life and work of professional US diplomats.

Loving USAID to Death(Lobelog) – For those who recall the relentless attacks on the U USAID throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, the recent outpouring of support for the institution and its mission is simply stunning. Another insightful analytical piece from alumna Diana Ohlbaum.

Top consensus points for State and USAID(Global Leadership Coalition) – This “Report on Reports” is a comprehensive analysis of over 60 reports from top think tanks and national security experts on tackling the key issues facing the State Department, USAID, and beyond.

State Department Reform Report(Atlantic Council) – This report recommends reform of the State Dept. to restore its historical mission of leading the development and execution of US foreign policy. It encourages that USAID’s standalone status be maintained. For a Washington Post overview of the report, click here.

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Approves FY2018 State & Foreign Ops Appropriations Bill(Diplopundit) – The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs announced that it approved a $51.35 billion appropriations bill that is $10.7 billion above the President’s request, but it is $1.9 billion below fiscal year 2017. Re. any State Department reorganization/redesign, the bill provides for notifications and consultations with the subcommittee on proposed changes.

13 Recommendations for Reforming America’s Foreign Aid(The Hill) – The Heritage Foundation will soon publish a detailed report with extensive analysis of the current dysfunctional state of U.S. government foreign assistance programs. This article highlights the report’s 13 recommendations to reform U.S. foreign aid.

U.S. holds up military aid to Egypt over human rights concerns(Washington Post) – $195 million in military aid for Egypt has been withheld and almost $96 million in other aid for the impoverished country has been completely withdrawn as a sign of displeasure over human rights concerns and a new law placing strict restrictions on aid groups working in the country.

Former Diplomats Warn Against Merger of State Department and USAID Crisis Roles(Washington Post) – A bipartisan group of former diplomats and other officials warned against a merger of the roles of State and USAID. “Consolidation of the functions of either agency into the other would be a significant error,” the report advises. “Each has functions that are inherent in its organizational mission.”

A History of American Public Opinion on Foreign Aid(Devex) – A sitting U.S. president has calculated that there would be no significant political fallout to gutting America’s aid programs. A John Norris look at the history of public opinion toward foreign assistance helps explain why and is essential in helping the community come to grips with where it now finds itself.

Some Re-Design Concerns(Diplopundit) – Read-out from a town hall with the Deputy SecState, which includes a substantial portion on the (im)probability of a State/USAID merger.

Rex Tillerson Is a Huge Disappointment(Washington Post) – If Cabinet members are to be judged by the gap between expectation and performance, Rex Tillerson is among the worst. Op ed piece by Michael Gerson.

And the Foreign Affairs Reorganization Fight Is On!(LobeLog) – More analysis from Diana Ohlbaum: Buffeted by a double whammy of restructuring proposals—one from the White House recommending a transfer of the State’s Population, Refugees, and Migration Bureau (PRM) to the Department of Homeland Security, another from development experts recommending a merger of PRM’s programs into USAID—the heavyweights are striking back.

A Bevy of Good Ideas on Foreign Aid Reform….If Anyone’s Listening(LobeLog) – Reorg analysis from alum Diana Ohlbaum: There are lots of difficult problems with no good solutions. Foreign aid isn’t one of them. For starters, the system works, even if it’s not particularly efficient, or popular with the public. It can be enhanced with small tweaks if a wholesale make-over proves unrealizable.

Where is the Opening for Aid Reform?(Lobelog) – USAID alumna Diana Ohlbaum reviews a recent CSIS think piece on increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of U.S. foreign assistance.*

The Politics of Foreign Aid(Brookings) – Many voices in US society who understand the stakes of America’s global leadership and the value of foreign assistance are speaking up—educating, engaging, and mobilizing.

A Practical Vision for US Development Reform(CGD) – US foreign assistance should focus on four core development priorities: state fragility, inclusive growth, global health, and humanitarian assistance. Within these priority areas, 14 immediately actionable reforms would increase US development effectiveness and efficiency.

A Practical Vision for US Development Reform (Center for Global Development) – To advance US values and foreign policy interests, while maintaining relevance in a changing global development landscape, this paper recommends organizing the US development architecture around four focal areas: State Fragility, Inclusive Growth, Global Health, and Humanitarian Assistance.

Five Myths About the Foreign Service(Washington Post) – What we are vs. what people may think we are. In addition, read a commenting letter from alum Steve Callahan, pointing out that USAID officers also are Foreign Service.

USAID and State: On Marrying Bears and Frogs(RealClearDefense) – The debate continues to rage over how to integrate USAID into the Department of State. It’s the wrong debate—again—but for now, it has captured the city’s imagination.

America’s Glorious Guilt(Washington Post)- OpEd by Michael Gerson: In an era of “America first,” we are sometimes better than our slogans. The assertion is still shocking: that a life on the other side of the world is created equal — honestly, objectively, God-blessedly equal — to our own.

A New Foreign Aid Architecture Fit for Purpose(MFAN) – This discussion draft is intended to inform ongoing efforts around potential reform of U.S. aid agencies. It proposes to consolidate four agencies and several major State Department units into two new focused agencies: a Global Development Agency (GDA) and a Development Finance Corporation (DFC).

Trump Abandons Plan for New Food Aid Rules(The Hill) – President Trump will not pursue an executive order that would have required all U.S. food aid to be transported on U.S.-flagged ships. Doing so would have increased food aid costs and significantly slowed the amount of time it would take the food to reach beneficiaries.

Foreign Aid is About US Interests (Foreign Policy) – American foreign aid has never just been about merely doing good. Ever since the end of World War II, it has always also been recognized to be in our own interest.

The IMF is Back in Africa(The Economist) – Falling commodity prices mean that loans are needed, overcoming distrust built up during the age of structural adjustment.

Why I Resigned from the Foreign Service(Washington Post) – “When the administration decided to withdraw from the Paris agreement on climate change, however, I concluded that…I could not in good conscience be involved in any way with the implementation of that decision.”

Foreign Assistance Agency Briefs(CGD) – CGD is providing briefing folders to every congressional office this week so that when Members and staff begin to consider the administration’s budget proposal for foreign assistance programs, they will have a solid guide on-hand to help them parse the details.

Colin Powell: American Leadership — We Can’t Do It for Free(NY Times OpEd) – Being a great nation has always meant a commitment to building a better, safer world — not just for ourselves, but for our children and grandchildren. The administration’s proposal to slash approximately 30 percent from the State Department and foreign assistance budget signals an American retreat, leaving a vacuum that would make us far less safe and prosperous. While it may sound penny-wise, it is pound-foolish.

Foreign Aid Under the Ax in State Department Budget Proposal(Washington Post) – SecState Tillerson said the proposal reflects Trump’s goal of a leaner, more efficient government that prioritizes national security and U.S. economic interests. Dropped would be more than two dozen countries now receiving assistance and direct the rest not to nations most in need but those deemed most critical to U.S. national security.

To ‘Protect Life’, State Department Rolls Out Women’s Health Policy Critics Call a ‘Death Warrant’ (Foreign Policy) – The “Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance” policy places new restrictions not just on funds that go to family planning assistance, but also money that supports malaria eradication, maternal and child health, and AIDS prevention and treatment.amounts to a heavy dose of comfort that comes with a familiar name and a clear and sound track record as a development policymaker.

The Future of US Aid(Devex) – This page contains many interesting articles assessing the impact of anticipated cuts and policy shifts.

What Trump’s Foreign-Aid Budget Means to the Rest of the World(The Atlantic) – The proposed 31% cut affects the U.S. bilateral foreign aid, funding for the UN, World Bank, and other international institutions; and State’s diplomatic duties. US friends and allies in the developing world now have tangible evidence of what they had feared since Trump’s election: the withdrawal of the US from active world international leadership.

U.S. Foreign Aid: A Waste of Money or a Boost to World Stability?(LA Times) – It has long been a divisive issue: how much money the United States gives to foreign nations in aid, what kind of effect development assistance actually has on recipient nations, and whether America should be involved in the aid-giving business at all.

Trump Administration Plans StateDept-USAID Merger and Deep Program Cuts(Diplopundit) – Senior USAID officials have told staff that the agency is attempting to cope with the steep cuts by prioritizing its field offices abroad over its offices in Washington. Nonetheless, the agency still anticipates that the budget proposal will necessitate eliminating 30 to 35 of its field missions.

Foreign Aid Reform: Opportunity or Threat?(lobelog.com) –4 of 4 from Ohlbaum. By proposing to eliminate USAID, reorganize and downgrade State, and institute draconian cuts to diplomacy and development, Trump is in effect rejecting the concept of “soft power,” leaving it to the military to promote and defend U.S. national interests abroad.

Disparaging Diplomacy(lobelog.com) – 3 of 4 from Ohlbaum. The Trump administration’s steady stream of assaults on diplomacy has become a raging river. Decisions on reorganization and staffing have been made before a review has been completed.

Dismantling USAID(lobelog.com) – 2 of 4 from Ohlbaum. Attempts to do away with USAID are not new, nor limited to Republican administrations. However, consolidation of USAID into State is, and always has been, a power play, not a cost-cutting measure. It’s not about making aid more efficient or effective. It’s about making aid more political.

The Case for Keeping USAID and the State Department Separate(U.S. Global Leadership Coalition) – Bringing USAID directly under the control of State not only would risk jeopardizing the long-term strategic arm of America’s national security toolkit but would likely make U.S. development assistance less, rather than more, effective.

Trump’s America First Budget Puts Africa Last(Foreign Policy) – Sub-Saharan Africa is grappling with record levels of displacement and hunger due to conflict and drought, but President Donald Trump is proposing “deep cuts to foreign aid” that would hit this continent the hardest.

Results Measurement and the Case for Aid(CGD) – At a moment when the case for maintaining aid budgets is being fundamentally questioned, we might do well to ponder how we measure and communicate results. Broad audiences don’t know about unprecedented progress in poverty reduction and human development in recent decades.

USAID Should Further U.S. Interests, Not ‘Safe Spaces’ (Wall St. Journal) – During the Obama years, USAID was prominent in sectors like LGBTI rights, abortion and “social justice”—promoting agendas that were neither supported by segments of the U.S. population nor of clear benefit to American national interests. It now will need to reassess all existing programs to determine which ones are actually advancing U.S. interests.

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